Stranger in Winter
by Link's Twin
Summary: The more the winter passes, the more the stranger felt alone.


_**A/N: Here is a Christmas present. Hope you enjoy! Remember to Review!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Doctor Who. BBC does.**_

Winter, it is cold and wet. It has longer nights and shorter days. Snow sometimes falls leaving the world enveloped in a white blanket. Children run and play in the frozen wonder, excited for the days taken off school, and the Christmas holiday. That was the other thing about winter, the holidays.

Now don't get it wrong, the holidays are a magical time of the year. People acting nicer to each other in the spirit of whatever holiday they celebrate. The stores are lined with objects of all shapes and sized covered in shiny papers and bright bows, the streets having carolers to sing the songs of praise and merriment, all done in an attempt to bring "Peace on Earth and good will toward men".

Now to the normal person, this would have been fantastic, but for the character in this story, everything was not so right with the holidays. Our character is a 5'5' brunette with simple dull brown eyes. She has 4 brothers, 1 sister and 2 parents. Now for the holidays, most people get with kin, but for the character this is one too expensive plane ride. She would have gone to celebrate with her friends, but all were leaving town to their families, so here our character is left all alone.

The date was December 24. The snow had been coming down hard the last couple of days, leaving the streets and parks covered in a white powder. The children at the park were running in their giant coats and gloves getting soaked. Several snowmen grouped together in the field next to the playground.

Our character walked around the sidewalk circling the park. She was alone and this she was very aware of, so to keep from going to an empty house she stayed at this park, living in the nostalgia of younger days. She remembered the magic the holidays held for her as a child and wished she could go back.

The hours passes and the sky darkened. The children walked with mothers and fathers into houses that lined the street. As each family left, our character noticed she was becoming more and more alone. Placing her head in her hands, our character sighed. Thinking of the times when she was a child. She used to sit with her family around a Christmas tree and play games and sing songs. She could hear the echoes of the past ring in her ear. As she was listening to the song of the past, a figure walked up to her.

The figure had a tan coat, and a pin striped suit. His brown hair was unkempt and askew. His eyes were chocolate and curious. He stood with 2 cups in his hands. He waited till the woman noticed him. She turned and gave him a quizzical look.

"Can I help you?" She asked with a bit of hesitation.

"Yes, actually, I was wondering if you would enjoy a cup of coco with me." He smiled and offered her a cup.

"And what do you want in return for sharing a cup of "coco" with you?" she was skeptical.

"Nothing. Just thought you could use a little warmth. I walked past here a few times through the day, and here you were, sitting, alone." He explained.

"Oh, so you don't want anything more then to just sit and talk with me?" She asked doubtfully. Mostly when men bought her a drink, they wanted a little more.

"Nope." He replied popping his "p" with a smile.

"Really?" She asked surprised.

"What? A man can't buy someone a drink without having to explain why? Well if you really want a reason, its Christmas and you looked lonely. Believe me I know lonely, so if you are lonely, and I am lonely, then let's be lonely together."

Our character paused. She thought for a moment. Why not? The worst that could happen is she could have a horrible time. An idea came to her mind. It was good, but it all depended on if he agreed to the conditions.

"Ok, we can spend Christmas together, but let's make this interesting." The man gave a questioning look.

"Ok, I'm listening." The curiosity dripping in his voice as the words left his pressed lips.

"Ok, I don't know you, and you don't know me, so let's keep it that way. Prove to the world perfect strangers can celebrate together, putting aside differences and opinions. To have the most fun, without an inkling of an idea as to whom we are. What do you say?"

"I think that idea is brilliant. Ok, so what if I need to call you, what do I say?" His smile broadening

"Code names."

"Ok then, call me the Doctor." The man stated

"No! Now I know what your profession is! I'll pick the names! "The woman startled the man she glances around the park. Her eyes landed on the street signs. Monte and Medina. "I will be Medina, and you can be Monte"

"Monte." He tested the name on his lips. "Do I look like a Monte?"

"Do I look like a Medina?" She countered.

"I suppose not. Alrighty! Come Medina, Allons-y!" He stood and grabbed her hand and took a running start, she followed him barley getting her now empty coco cup to land in the nearest trash bin.

He started to follow the sidewalk that led through the park. He found all the twists and turns careful not to slip on the ice that littered the path in splotches. The seen around the pair was dotted with trees and fields He finally stopped, panting a little he turned to Medina.

"Here we are!" He gestured to the frozen pond in the middle of the clearing. There was a single light post in standing next to the pond. It gave off a yellow light that sparkled off the ice and the snow. Our character's breath was taken away at the sight.

"It's beautiful, but what are we going to do? I don't have ice skates. We also don't know if it will hold us."

"I can fix that." With that he pulled out a silver device with a blue bulb on the top. He pushed a button and the light scanned the pond whist making a sort of high pitched whistling sound. He then looked at the device and grinned. (Does he ever get tired of that?)

"Looks good Medina. We have about a foot of ice to hold us."

"That still doesn't solve our skate problem." Monte's brow furrowed in thought. He looked at our Character.

"I will be right back, don't go anywhere." His eyes pleaded with him. Our character nodded and watched as he ran down the sidewalk and into the night. Moments passes and she was beginning to worry Monte would not return. As she was about to give up, she heard pattering hurried footsteps on the pavement behind her. She turned just in time to see Monte, slip and fall on his backside.

"Oh my gosh! Are you alright?!" Our character ran up to the fallen man and noticed he was shaking. It wasn't till she heard it did she realize he was laughing. "What are you laughing about?" She was startled; this man had fallen down and was giggling like a school girl.

"I'm just laughing at myself! " His laugh and smile seemed contagious and our character slowly let her laugh pick up and soon the pair were lost in the joy of laughter. As soon as the pair calmed down, they stood.

"I don't think I have ever done that before." Media stated.

"Well all it takes is some humility, now, shall we skate?" he lifted the skates to show her.

"Where did you get those? I thought all the shops closed early for Christmas."

"I have my ways." He winked. In that one statement, Medina began to wonder about the mysterious man. It was a fleeting thought however, because soon she had her skates on and started toward the ice. Once she was on she turned to Monte. He has gotten onto the ice with some wobbling, but he had started seconds, but it seemed like he was relatively new at it.

"Have you skated before?" Medina's voice hosted a bit of doubt.

"Of course I have, just not in this regeneration." He said the last bit to himself as to not let the wind carry it over to Medina.

"Well you look like a left footed penguin."

"That's not fair!"

"You're right. I'm sure the penguins are better skaters than you are." Monte was appalled. "You take that back!" He was acting like a child; therefore, he deserved to be treated like a child.

"I will but you have to catch me first." With that she reached ever so lightly and tapped his shoulder. "You're it." She whispered before skating away. Monte's eyes grew as he suddenly got the game and started chasing the girl. Laughter filled the air as the pair chased each other around the frozen lake. Time wore on and the pair wore down till they had to stop and catch their breaths. They returned to shore and lay down in the snow, and started staring at the stars.

"So why did you pick this place to come to?" Medina asked Monte.

"I brought a friend here once. She and I sat her in the summer telling stories and laughing about the times we had together. "his gaze got distant as he entered the realm of his memory. A smile played on his lips as he remembered. This led our Character to look back on her own memories here with her brothers.

She remembered the summer too. Coming down here and spending the day barefoot, catching bugs and the sort with them. Trying to keep up with them as they raced away, claiming that no girls were allowed to play with them.

She was snapped back to the world when Monte snapped his fingers in her face.

"What? Sorry. I was lost in my memories."

"That's alright. I do that all the time. The important part is we remember that the present is here and now."

"Right, so now Monte, I have to go home." She stated sadly as she looked at her watch and read 11:45.

"Really? You have to?" the sadness was evident in his voice. He was trying not to sound too disappointed.

"Yes, but this has been the best Christmas ever. I will never forget this."

"Well if you really have to go, then tell me your name."

"No. the whole point of the aliases was so we don't know who the other person is. Maybe if we are to meet again, and only by chance, I will tell you my name and we can talk more." With that she stood and placed her other shoes on her feet.

"Good bye Monte. Until we meet again." She shook his hand and walked away.

That day was the last day the pair had ever spoken. Neither of them would meet again, because Medina, Our Character, would die in a car crash 6 days later. Monte, The Doctor, would go on traveling the universe with little to no knowledge on the girl he met on the park bench during Christmas.

_**A/N: I know this story is late, but I had this written before Christmas and I was going to post this Christmas day, but then I didn't so yeah here you go. Sorry if it sounds rushed. Happy Pasted Holidays. Until next time, Allons-y to the next adventure!**_


End file.
